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All living things have a natural footprint – the pattern of indentation on the earth’s surface, caused by the physical formation of the creature’s body.

The appearance of a footprint in fossil records provide insight into the origin of a species. Disappearance of a footprint may indicate extinction of a species.

For millennia, humans have shared a common footprint (5 toes, ball of foot, etc.). However, with the invention of the modern shoe, a myriad of new footprint species now roam the earth.

Consider the imprint we make – what is conveyed through it? Sports shoes will leave a distinctly different mark upon the earth from leather dress shoes, and again from sandals. The vehicles we drive also leave an imprint on the earth, and are an extension of our footprint.

What does our physical footprint say about our inner core? How are we expressing ourselves via our footprints?

A master craftsman creates beauty through skilled use of specialized tools.  A master painter, athlete, and even business man each have their own unique tools.  The painter utilizes a paint brush and paint.  An athlete utilizes their body and training equipment.  And the business man may utilize money, computers, or any number of tools depending on their industry.  Time and dedication to mastery of their tools allows each craftsman to create value and beauty, which can then translate into some form of currency.

The toolmaker provides craftsmen the ability to transmute their thoughts into action, to manifest their vision in the physical world for others to share and enjoy.  The toolmaker plays a vital role in the variety of the human experience, as tools are a way to unlock the potential of the human mind.

Both the craftsman and the toolmaker are inextricably linked in creating change and value in the world.  The craftsman must choose the right tool suitable to their passion and circumstances, and the toolmaker must create a tool that opens up wide fields of potentiality.

Google provides the tool of search engine marketing to many businesses.  Ableton provides a tool for music making.  Photoshop provides a tool for graphic design.  Master craftsmen have built wealth through leveraging these tools of Google, Ableton, or Photoshop.  In turn, Google, Ableton, and Photoshop all build wealth because they provide the ability for other people to create wealth.

Are you a toolmaker, empowering and opening new fields of potentiality, or are you perfecting and honing your use of a tool to become a master craftsman?  What is your tool?  What is your craft?